The Holidays have come early this spoiler season.  An entire core set has been spoiled nearly three weeks before its international release.  Surely this was not WotC's intention.  Nevertheless, we are all just as excited and eager to get our hands on these new cards as we ever were  and probably more so.  With a large set such as M10, it is difficult to whittle it down to just five cards.  But here is my vein attempt and doing just that.  If you haven't checked out Leaf's list, you should do so now.

[caption id="attachment_3414" align="alignright" width="215" caption="A painfully predictable choice for best card in the set. Forgive my non-creativeness."][/caption]

1-Silence - "Boooooriiiing.  I mean, a hoser, "No" spell for one white mana?   And wasn't this card revealed two months ago?  Could you be any more predictable, Reinhart? "

Yes, yes I could.  This is White's Lightning Bolt.  So incredibly effective in almost every circumstance its hard to miss this card's potential and power.   Play whatever you want on your turn and save 1 mana to practically end theirs after their draw phase.  You can also preemptively clear the way for your own spells if necessary.  So simple yet so versatile.  Cards that change the game for one or less mana are devastatingly effective.    With blue now out of the control business seemingly for good, white has become the new haven for old-school blue wizardry.  And Silence is a big part of that shift.

2 - Lightning Bolt - Does this classic really need a write up?  This card has single-handedly convinced the entirety of the Magic the Gathering community that the "Red Wins" deck is back.  When paired with it's long lost cousin Ball Lightning these sentiments are not entirely unjustified.  Anyone playing a standard deck that can produce red mana will play or sideboard this card.  Honestly though, this card is long overdue.  Is there really that much difference between  three damage for two and three damage for one?   Surely not enough to  justify burring  this fan favorite for nearly a decade.   If white can silence a red wizard for one mana, and black can discard any card in your hand then a red wizard should be able to cast a three damage response for the same.  Welcome back, old friend, you've been sorely missed.

3 - Honor of the Pure -The Aggro-Deck love found in M10 is only to be eclipsed by the Sweep-Hate.  With Elspeth, Knight-Errant,  Ajani Goldmane, Captain of the Watch, Spectral Procession and now Honor of the Pure all legal in standard at the same time, white is locked and loaded for a weenie storm unlike anything yet witnessed.  The obvious comparison is to Crusade and Glorious Anthem, but there really is no comparison.  White creatures only?  Not really a problem in a white token deck.   The multicolored creatures in Alara make it even easier to pump up most of your creatures.  A lower mana cost and limit to only your creatures are also bonuses.  In the current standard makeup.  This card is a staple for white weenie lovers everywhere.  Look for it at a tournament near you.

4 - Great Sable Stag - Ahh, remember the days of opposing colors?  Green and black hated each other almost as much as green and blue hated each other.  We get a little bit of that rivalry back here with the Great Sable Stag.  I chose this card because not only is it a great three drop for green (which it very much needs).  It is a wonderful throwback to a time when colors meant more than they do now.  Green was blessed with some fairly awesome creatures in M10 so there may be some competition for this little guy in your deck.  But sideboards everywhere are going to love arguably the best 3/3 for three mana green has ever seen.  "Can't be countered" is a nice plus but when Lorwyn rotates out of standard it will no longer matter as counter-magic looks to be unplayable post M10.   Until then, black/blue faerie decks are holding on tight to their Thoughtsieze' because that's pretty much the only way you'll be able to deakl with this guy.   Pump this guy up a little bit and watch blue and black wizards squirm.

5 - Baneslayer Angel - If you assume that each ability on a creature should cost about one mana, this would be the best creature ever printed raw numbers wise.  Around the net I've even heard some denying the recent spoiler leak because this card looks so powerful.  And it is.  Serra Angel is done for good.  Simply unplayable in constructed while this Angel rules the roost.  In most circumstances.. this card reads "you'll take 5 damage and I'll gain 5 life every turn."   Because who is going to block this thing?  You'll need something with six P/T and half of those creatures are demons or dragons.   You're going to have to resort to removal.  And any time you can force an opponent to deal with your card, you're doing something right.  Some have speculated that Magic is experiencing "power creep" where each set the cards get more and more powerful and difficult to obtain until not only are old cards unusable but the game becomes a ridiculous three turn affair.  I would argue that the ability of First Strike and the Protections only come into play in the off chance that someone decides to block this guy.  It might as well read "unblockable" for how ofter that will happen.  Flying and Lifelink are effective and make this card great.   The other two are just bonuses and are part of what bumps her up to mythic.  In the end, shes just a creature who must be dealt with.  Use Oblivion Ring, Doom Blade, or even direct damage.   Her unprecedented raw numbers are what earn her a place on my list of the Top 5 cards in Magic 2010.

Honorable Mentions:  Duress, Captain of the Watch, Ball Lightning, Illusionary Servant, Master of the Wild Hunt

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